President's Message

Since we closed out Vision 2025, I have been reflecting on some special moments.

I felt the room galvanize during Amy Downs's spectacular opening keynote address where she shared her harrowing story from the Oklahoma City bombing through to her triumphant completion of the Iron Man race. Coach Donnie Campbell inspired us to build a better culture by focusing on developing exceptional people, not just employees. And in between there were several insightful breakout sessions.

But the most impactful thing to me about the week was the fantastic sense of camaraderie. During casino night, I strolled through the Expo Hall, winding my way through the various gaming tables. I saw dozens of smiling, laughing, cringing, and cheering friends. Vendors and credit union CEOs intermingled with management and board members, each celebrating with the others.

We overloaded the dance floor with the incredible dueling piano act, the leader of which took me aside and told me they had never performed for such a fun and engaged crowd. He said he had even booked a couple of additional future shows for some of our attendees. For myself, I can't ever recall an evening event at a conference that had a call for an encore! They had to kick us out of the room!

Vision 2025 was a microcosm of all the great things about our movement in Kentucky, and I am proud to be a small part of it.

Sincerely,
Jim Kasch

Advocacy Update

August is typically a slower month for advocacy professionals, with Congress on its summer recess and most state legislatures out of session. This year, however, was anything but quiet. Even with Congress away from D.C. and the Kentucky General Assembly not in session, your League and Credit Unions stayed busy laying the groundwork for an important effort.

All month, we’ve been building strategy and momentum to defend the ability of local municipal leaders to decide where their tax dollars are deposited, protecting their right to choose what’s best for taxpayers and the funds they are entrusted to manage responsibly. You’ll hear much more about this effort in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, please reach out to Kyle Hagerty with any questions or if you’d like to get more involved.

August also brought our Annual Meeting, where attendees at the Governmental Affairs Breakfast heard from Rocky Adkins, longtime friend of Credit Unions and current Senior Advisor to Governor Beshear, as well as a panel of Credit Union advocates from across the country. Both discussions underscored the importance of leaning in, getting engaged, and building strong relationships with local officials.

We cannot emphasize this enough, now is the time to get involved. Please contact the League to learn how you can take part.

Sincerely,
Kyle Hagerty, CUCE
SVP & Chief Advocacy Officer

League Updates

The Great Bourbon Raffle

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Kentucky’s Credit Union’s is proud and excited to announce that our inaugural Great Bourbon Raffle is now open and tickets are available for only $50 for a chance at one of 50 prize lots featuring exclusive experiences, highly allocated and almost impossible to find bourbons and every lot featuring a bottle of the signature New Riff Single Barrel selection made specifically for this event and not available anywhere else.

More important than the bourbon is the cause that this raffle supports, you all know the great work that is done at Children's Mircale Network Hospitals through CU4Kids and all proceeds from this raffle go directly to support the CMN hospitals here in Kentucky. This marks a first of its kind effort for Kentucky’s Credit Unions and would not be possible without all our sponsors and donors, especially our Presenting Sponsors: Trellance, Commonwealth Credit Union and TruStage and our Supporting Sponsor; AutoAdvisors.

Please take a moment to check out all the prizes and buy tickets HERE. Marketing materials will be heading out to all our Credit Unions and community partners (if they haven’t already) and we appreciate any and all efforts to share this event with your members and communities.

Please reach out to Kyle Hagerty with any questions.

KCU Connect Lunch Series

We love it when Kentucky's credit unions participate in our various conferences and advocacy events. Your League team is committed to spending more time in person with all of you, which is why we are scheduling some in-market luncheons for 2025.

Anyone connected to a credit union - whether you’re a CEO, manager, frontline staff, board member, or part of the extended credit union community - is welcome to attend these sponsored lunches. (Although the lunches are covered by the League and our sponsors, there will be no sales pitches!)

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE LUNCH DATES

Global Women's Leadership Network

We’re thrilled to announce the official launch of the Kentucky Sister Society of the Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN)!

Thank you to everyone who joined our inaugural meeting - we loved kicking this off with you! The Kentucky Sister Society will host 4-6 events a year, creating a space for women in the credit union movement to connect, learn, and grow together.

Be sure to register for our Q4 meeting on September 16th! We’d love to see you there as we continue building this amazing community!

Here’s to connection, growth, and celebrating the women shaping our industry every day.

Marketing & Business Development Certification School 2025

October 6 - 9, 2025 | Seattle, WA

Who should attend

This school benefits credit union marketing and business development professionals looking to develop their skills, and for anyone needing to recertify either designation. If you are starting your CUCME designation, begin with year one regardless of your skillset and experience.

Master the connection between marketing and business development to fuel unstoppable growth.

2025 Small Credit Union Conference

November 16 - 18, 2025

Kansas City, Missouri

Overview

Join successful small credit union leaders from all over the country in Kansas City, MO at this fall’s Small Credit Union Conference. Over three days, you’ll learn how to leverage collaboration to generate growth, strategies to strengthen your operations, and network with like-minded peers. This conference is priced at only $149.99 through October 1, so don’t miss out on this affordable opportunity to grow in your career and gain a competitive edge to equip your organization for future success.

Who should attend:

Executives and board members of small credit unions are encouraged to attend. This conference will be most beneficial for credit unions under $250 million in assets.

Mortgage Lending Made Easy

September 22, 2025 | Virtual

This training is intended for beginner mortgage loan originators as well as those seeking a comprehensive refresher.

Join Regulatory Compliance Counsel, Michael Christians, on September 22nd for loan originator training. This all-day session, designed to satisfy the loan originator training requirement found in Section 1026.36 of Regulation Z, will cover the following topics:

Loan Originator Basics (SAFE Act, RESPA Section 8, and the E-Sign Act)

Application Requirements (Application Disclosures and the Collection of Monitoring Information)

Underwriting Requirements (ATR/QM, Higher Priced Mortgage Loans, High-Cost Mortgages, Appraisals, Reconsiderations of Value, Automated Valuation Models, Flood Insurance, and Adverse Action)

Closing Requirements (Closing Disclosure, Right to Cancel)

Servicing Requirements (Regulation Z and Regulation X)

Fair Lending Considerations (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Housing Act, and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act)

IRA Training Essentials & Advanced

October 22 & 23, 2025 | Virtual

In partnership with the Tennessee CU League

Ascensus is the nation’s premier provider of IRA services for credit unions, with training options that cover the full range of IRA topics. Whether you are new to IRAs or an experienced administrator wanting an update on this year’s new rules, you’ll find the training you need to serve your members’ IRA needs.

Board & Committee Leadership Conference

November 6-8, 2025 | Pigeon Forge, TN
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Make plans to join your peers for an education conference designed just for credit union volunteers. The Board & Committee Leadership Conference is set for November 6-8, 2025 in the Great Smoky Mountains and features a full range of informative sessions on critical, timely issues, with first-rate speakers.

Save the Date: Experienced MLO Training

November 12, 2025 | Virtual

Stay ahead of the curve with this exclusive update for experienced loan originators. Regulatory Compliance Counsel, Michael Christians, will cover Reg Z along with the latest federal agency updates, pending rulemaking, key litigation developments, and today’s most pressing mortgage lending hot topics to give you the knowledge you need to stay confident and compliant in a changing environment.

More information to come.

2026 Visionaries Retreat-Registration Now Open!

January 20-23, 2026 | Hawks Cay Resort | Duck Key, FL

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Get ready for an exclusive, unforgettable experience!

Join credit union leaders from Kentucky and Ohio at the stunning Hawks Cay Resort for a retreat designed to spark innovation, leadership, and collaboration.

Registration: $999
(Payment option available in January 2026 to align with your budget.)

Event Highlights:

Premier Location: Recharge and connect in the serene beauty of the Florida Keys at Hawks Cay Resort.
Strategic Collaboration: For the first time, we’re co-marketing with the Ohio Credit Union League – expanding your network and forging new partnerships.
Private Board Rooms: Planning ahead? We’ve reserved boardrooms at Hawks Cay exclusively for credit unions who want to hold strategic or private meetings during the retreat.

Who Should Attend:

This retreat is designed for visionary credit union leaders, including:
CEOs and C-suite executives
Senior managers and decision-makers

Mark your calendar – you won't want to miss it!

Park Community Credit Union Recognized for Transformative Impact Across Kentucky and Southern Indiana

Louisville, KY- Park Community Credit Union has been recognized with three distinguished awards at the Kentucky Credit Union League’s Vision Conference Awards Banquet, honoring its outstanding commitment to financial education, social responsibility, and community outreach across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Park received the following honors:

Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award: Recognizing leadership in adult financial literacy and Park’s expansive, accessible financial education programming.
Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award: Honoring Park’s employee-powered volunteer engagement and dedication to hands-on community service.
Excellence in Outreach Award: Celebrating Park’s long-term, transformational partnerships and deep community investment initiatives.

KCUL Awards Group

Together, these awards reflect more than recognition, they represent the lived values and everyday actions that define Park’s mission: to build thriving communities together through financial inclusion and by empowering underserved communities.

Park’s work spans nearly 3000 volunteer hours, over 1000 hours of financial education delivered so far in 2025, and initiatives reaching thousands across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Through partnerships with organizations like Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Simmons College, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana, Park continues to redefine what it means to be a financial institution rooted in purpose.

“These awards recognize the Park movement as a bold pacesetter in our communities. Every hour our team spends teaching financial skills, every moment invested in community service, and every partnership we nurture moves us closer to our mission, to build thriving communities together. This recognition belongs to every Park employee who shows up with heart, grit, and an unwavering belief that access to financial opportunity changes lives,” shares Jana Erny, President and CEO of Park Community Credit Union.

To learn more about the award-winning programs and how Park is driving change across Kentucky and Southern Indiana, visit parkcommunity.com/impact.

Is Your Overdraft Protection Program Clear & Consistent?

The conversation surrounding this topic may have changed, or lessened, with the change in administration, but it is still so incredibly important. You must make sure that your overdraft program runs with clear, consistent guidelines – and that your staff and your members truly understand how it works, and what it costs. If you’re concerned that may not be the case – let’s chat! Hers’s an article that highlights the risk and cost of not running a clear, consistent – well documented – program.

NCUA Strategic Plan Town Hall

NCUA will hold a Strategic Plan Town Hall on September 9^th at 2 pm EST.

They’ve invited the industry to provide input on the agency's strategic plan and upcoming agency priorities.

You can register for the town hall here. Note the option to submit strategic-plan-related discussion topics in advance of the event and select if you would like the opportunity to speak. A copy of the strategic plan can be found here.

Please Welcome our New Compliance Officer, Alex Milkint, to the Team!

We’re so excited to have Alex join our team. For anyone who hasn’t had the chance to meet him yet, his bio is in the link below. We’ll be out an about making visits sooner than later, but don’t hesiate to contact him with your day-to-day compliance questions – starting now! Alex brings some great experience and an eagerness to learn and serve our CUs!

"I’m Alex Milkint, and I’m excited to serve as the Compliance Officer here at Kentucky’s Credit Unions.

In my role, I’ll provide compliance guidance and support to our member credit unions, helping them navigate regulatory challenges and thrive in a constantly changing environment.

I grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Iowa with a BBA in Economics - go Hawkeyes! After graduating, I joined the FDIC and spent a year examining banks across the Midwest. I then relocated to Louisville and have spent the past two years serving as a Compliance Specialist at a local community bank. These experiences have given me a well-rounded perspective on financial regulation and a strong foundation to support KCU members.

I’ve grown to love the Louisville area and am proud to call it home. Outside of work, you can usually find me watching Iowa football or rooting for the Green Bay Packers.

I’m looking forward to working with all of you and supporting the incredible credit union community here in Kentucky!"

Employee Announcement - Alex

By the Way Newsletter